Fabric masks are not certified
Fabric masks are not certified
Although for some time almost exclusively fabric masks were worn, they have no certifications. In the early days of mandatory masks, many masks ended up being homemade, making certification impossible and unnecessary. In the meantime, however, many large manufacturers produce fabric masks. The problem for many customers is that the certifications are missing.
Why is certification needed?
Consumers need such a standard because there is wide variation in how well face coverings keep out particles from the environment. According to a 2008 study, N95 masks reduce exposure to respiratory viruses by %, surgical masks by %.and homemade dishcloth masks by %. %. Another study published during the pandemic found that single layers of several common fabrics polyester, cotton, silk and linen were particularly ineffective because they were made of porous materials. In June, the World Health Organization published recommendations for a three-layer mask made of multiple fabrics, but few of the products sold today resemble that design.
Because of these strong differences in quality, it might well be helpful to introduce standards for fabric masks.
The gap between most household fabric fibers depends on the fabric thickness and can be 1,000 times larger than the N95 mask about 1 to 0.1 millimeters.
Fabric masks are still useful
But just because cloth masks let in a lot more air and particles compared to N95 masks doesn’t mean they don’t do anything. If you’ve ever wrapped a scarf around your face in the winter, you know that covering your mouth redirects some of the air you breathe around your face (so it doesn’t spread as far away from you) and also protects you from the cold, since there’s usually some moisture from your breath trapped in the scarf. It can also hinder your breathing a bit. It is therefore clear that fabric masks influence both inhalation and exhalation and thus protect.
Despite the much smaller effect than medical masks, cloth masks help in the fight against the pandemic. They would help even more if there were standards for them. In the USA, this has already begun to be considered. As long as these standards do not exist, however, this is a disadvantage for the fabric masks, because it is not known how strongly they protect. Therefore, it is best to always pay attention to the composition of the fabric masks. Good are masks with carbon filters, like from our shop, or other filter layers to ensure a certain protection
